Practicing what he preaches

GENERAL Manager: Mining at Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), Moses Thokwane, spends much of his time sharing his work and life experiences to coach young talent and future industry leaders.

In a recent address to 35 young apprentices about to begin their training in Welkom, he said something which is revealing of his character:

‘Opportunity is the start of something fantastic, an event which, for some people, leads the way to a new world.
‘Some of us understand how to grasp the opportunities which present themselves, and know how to turn them into something fruitful and successful. Some of us don’t.’

Thokwane is someone who is been able to make the best of his opportunities, and who understands that opportunities are earned through hard work.

Despite having had to work twice as hard as others to overcome past racial prejudices, he has achieved a great deal in his field.

He remembers his earliest and fondest success, being among the first black group to earn their Blasting Certificates in 1988, and achieving all his targets despite challenging geotechnical conditions on deep-level gold mines in the late eighties.

Despite the challenges, mining in South Africa has documented many achievements, which Moses attributes to a relentless focus on safety throughout the sector, benchmarking against best practices and the involvement of tripartite partners.

On a local scale, the adoption and roll out of the Zero Harm programme at RBM, which aims to instill a deep-seated company culture that ensures that no harm comes to any RBM employee or contractor, is something Thokwane is particularly proud to have been a part of.

When he isn’t at work, he is a keen hunter and freshwater fisherman, and what is left of his spare time he spends as a lay preacher.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 072 069 4169

Instagram – zululand_observer